Prediabetes occurs when levels of blood sugar (also known as blood glucose) are above normal, but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. As the name implies, prediabetes comes before and can lead to type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes. Prediabetes can also lead to heart disease and stroke.
One in three adults have prediabetes, but most don’t know it.
Many people with untreated prediabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes within five years. The good news is that by making some changes in lifestyle, it’s possible to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. If you or someone you know has prediabetes, now is the time to take action.
UK Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center provides the National Diabetes Prevention Program for those with or at risk for type 2 diabetes. This evidence-based lifestyle change program guides participants to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes. To date, participants in Barnstable Brown’s Diabetes Prevention Program have lost a total of 933 pounds and averaged nearly three hours of physical activity per week at program completion.
Why UK Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center?
The team at Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center provides expert consultation and ongoing care for patients with prediabetes, diabetes, diabetes in pregnancy and any diabetes-related complications and conditions.
Our center is unique in that we offer care and treatment across the lifespan. Our multidisciplinary health care team includes certified diabetes care and education specialists, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, registered dietitians, pharmacists, and social workers. We have an education center that provides first-class, cutting edge diabetes education in individual and group settings. Appointments are available both in-person and via telehealth.
Our outpatient location at UK HealthCare – Turfland provides a convenient, single location where patients can easily access many of their related health care services. UK HealthCare – Turfland, which offers abundant free parking, is home to many other expert clinical health care providers, including those from primary care, urgent care, pharmacy, laboratory, radiology/MRI, ophthalmology and more.
UK HealthCare’s state-of-the-art electronic health record uses the MyChart patient portal for communication between provider and patient.
How do providers work together to best serve their patients?
- A multidisciplinary team of providers and diabetes care and education specialists coordinate a specific treatment plan tailored to each patient.
- A comprehensive medical record network coordinates care among your healthcare team, as well as with local and regional health care facilities. The MyChart portal tool promotes quick and effective communication with our patients.
- Pediatric and adult teams housed in the same clinic offers a smooth transition of care as pediatric patients reach adulthood and transfer care to the adult team.
Many people with prediabetes don’t know they have it because there are typically no symptoms. Some people with prediabetes may experience darkening of skin folds or small skin tag growths in their armpits or on their neck.
Risk factors for prediabetes include:
- Being 45 years old or older
- Being overweight
- Giving birth to a baby who weighed more than nine pounds
- Having a child, parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes
- Having gestational diabetes, or diabetes during pregnancy
- High blood pressure, high cholesterol or a history of heart disease or stroke
- Metabolic syndrome
- Not exercising at least three times per week
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Sleep apnea
Learn more about your risk for prediabetes by taking this short, six-question assessment.
Lifestyle changes may prevent or reverse prediabetes. They can also lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Small changes can make a big difference.
- Eat healthy.
- Lose weight if you’re overweight. A 5% to 7% weight loss is impactful.
- Participate in 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days each week.
Prediabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It can also raise your risk of heart disease and stroke.
- For your first visit, you will be directed to the Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center at UK HealthCare – Turfland.
- Plenty of free parking is available at UK HealthCare – Turfland.
- The Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center is located on the first floor of the building. When you register, a Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center team member will help guide you through your appointment.
- To meet our patients’ needs, UK HealthCare accepts many forms of insurance.
